September 25, 2005

MEDLICOTT FAMILY WEBSITE

I recently reported on a visit by Philip Medlicott and his family to the former family home of Dunmurry. On that occasion Philip promised to contact me with details of his website which explores his family's rich history. Of interest to Kildare are the family's connections to Dunmurry, Tully and Kildare Cathedral. Included are reminiscences of his great aunt of her time at Kildare

KILDARE COURTHOUSE AGAIN IN DISREPAIR

Leinster Leader 6/4/1901 p. 8

CONDITION OF KILDARE COURTHOUSE.
……………….

During the morning a continual noise interfered with the progress of business at the Quarter Sessions on Tuesday. It was caused by the flopping to and fro of a blind attached, to a window which could not be closed. After lunch, the court became full of smoke.
His Honor remarked that the Courthouse was in a disgraceful state.
Mr. White, Crown Solicitor, said that the County Council had allowed something for repairing the roof. The conditions of the Courthouse would require to be improved.
Mr. Dane, Clerk of the Crown and Peace- The smoke comes down the chimney nste ad [instead] of up it and the window won’t shut.
Mr. M’Cann said they were very anxious about the re-opening of the Infirmary, but nothing was done about the Courthouse.
His Honor said Athy Courthouse was just as bad. The heating apparatus of Athy was most extraordinary.

THE BEGINNINGS OF THE CYMS HALL PERHAPS?

Leinster Leader 27/11/1943 p. 4

MODERN BALLROOM FOR KILDARE ?

As reported in these columns some weeks ago, there is afoot in the town of Kildare an ambitious project, sponsored by a group of prominent business men, to provide the town with a new and up-to-date ballroom of the most modern construction. The ambitious scheme (involving very considerable capital outlay) advanced a step when, at the Railway Hotel, Kildare, on Friday last a very largely attended and representative meeting discussed the project and unanimously decided to further the matter. A second meeting of all interested parties is to be held in the near future.

September 18, 2005

THE ELECTRIFICATION OF KILDARE !

Leinster Leader 30/1/1904 p. 7

KILDARE ELECTRIC LIGHTING
SCHEME.
…………………………….

SWORN INQUIRY
………

Mr A. Price, Local Government Board Engineering Inspector, held a sworn inquiry, at the Courthouse, Kildare, on Monday, into the proposed scheme for the lighting of the town by electricity. Mr S. J. Brown, solicitor, appeared on behalf of the Naas No. 1 District Council, in support of the scheme. Mr D. J. Purcell, Clerk of the District Council; Mr F. Bergin, B.E., Engineer to the Council; Rev Father Campion, P.P.; Mr John T. Heffernan, (Secretary County Council) Secretary to the Lighting Committee; Mr P. Talbot, D.C., and Mr C. Bergin, Co.C., Mr W. H. Clegg, Electrical Engineer, were in attendance.
Mr Purcell was the first witness examined. He said that the valuation of the area of charge for the lighting – the town of Kildare and certain adjacent townlands – was £5,326. The outstanding balances of loans, chargeable to the area amounted to £1, 016 19s 5d. The present rate of taxation in the pound on the area of charge was 2s 3¾d on land and 3s 4¾d on buildings. The poundage rate for the repayment of the loan of £3,300 for the scheme would be about 11¾d in the pound on the area of charge.
Mr Clegg gave evidence as to the details of the scheme the cost of which he estimated as follows – Buildings, £250; gas plant, £409; engines, dynamos, etc., £824; batteries, etc., £230; mains (including lamp posts, etc.,) £1,647 – total £3,350. He estimated the annual expenditure connected with the scheme at £250 for 24,000 units of electricity. If the consumption exceeded 24,00 units the Council should pay the difference in the cost of coal and the wages would be the same. He estimated the revenue at £625 a year. That would be 15,000 units at 7d per unit for public lighting and 9,000 units at 5d per unit for private lighting. The expense of the public lighting would be 9d in the pound but the difference in the amount of the expenditure and the revenue would go to reduce the cost of public lighting. He added that the National Electric Construction Company were willing to “run” the works for five or ten years for a sum of £250 per year, any revenue exceeding £250 to be paid over to the District Council.
Mr Brown asked would they be prepared to do that for the full term of the loan – 20 years.
Mr Clegg said he had no authority to exceed the period mentioned – 5 or 10 years.
Mr F. Bergin, B.E., said that the population of the town of Kildare was 1700 exclusive of the military. The scheme provided for 500 16-candle power lamps lighting at the same time and provision was made for an increase of 250 lamps, if necessary.
Messrs Denis Flood, Thomas Boland, Henry Brereton, James E. Dunne, and Jas Clinch, objected to their paying towards the cost of the scheme, as their holdings were over a mile and a half from the town of Kildare.
Mr Flood, the only objector who consented to be examined, admitted in reply to Mr Brown, the necessity for lighting the town.
Mr Brown proposed a vote of thanks to the Inspector for the manner in which he conducted the inquiry. The Inspector returned thanks and said that the scheme as submitted to him by Mr Clegg appeared to be satisfactory.

September 13, 2005

SOCIAL ASPECT OF BARRACK BUILDING Part II

Leinster Leader 26/4/1901 p. 8

ENTERTAINMENT AT KILDARE BARRACKS.
………………………

At the New Barracks, Kildare, on Saturday evening, the members of the Scotia Villa held an At Home. The company present included Mr and Mrs Rodley [the manager of the works] Mr and Mrs Barber, Mr and Mrs Lewis, Mr and Mrs Stoodley, the Misses Kirby, Plant, Thompson, Forde and Costelloe, and Messrs Oram, White and Culver. About forty ladies, and gentlemen sat down to collation, which was served at 7.30 p.m. Subsequently Scotch selections were played by Messrs Culver and Duffus, and songs were given by Messrs Knight, Williams and Mackintosh, the latter being much appreciated. Mr Stephenson’s recitation in Scotch was also much admired. Dancing and games completed the evening’s programme. The manner in which the At Home was carried out reflects great credit upon Mr W Duffus (the secretary) and the other gentlemen forming the committee. Everyone present thoroughly enjoyed the evening’s entertainment.

See also on this website, Entertainment at Kildare, Leinster Leader 12/1/1901 p. 5 which describes Mr Oram as the foreman and mentions a Mrs Studley (Stoodley ?).

MEDLICOTTS RETURN TO KILDARE

On Monday I received a phone call from Kildare Town Heritage Centre to say that there were members of the Medlicott family in the Centre with questions about Dunmurray Graveyard where some of their ancestors were buried. After a little conversation we arranged to meet in the graveyard to check out the condition of the graveyard. I am currently working on compiling the graveyard inscriptions of the three Kildare Abbeys and I had intended to take the inscriptions at Dunmurray in 2006 so it was a good opportunity to see the condition of the graveyard firsthand. The graveyard is in surprisingly good condition thanks to the owners of Dunmurray.

The Medlicott party was headed up by Philip Medlicottand and as well as including his sister and brother it included his mother whose husband is buried in the graveyard.

The Medlicott family originally owned Tully also but were most closely associated with Dunmurray and were in Kildare since around 1712. When the family vault in Kildare Cathedral became full members were buried in Dunmurray. Philip maintains a website on the family and has promised to send me on details which I will post on the web. Meanwhile why not try googling MEDLICOTT but make sure to click web and not simply pages from Ireland.

September 06, 2005

KILDARE RAILWAY STATION ALMOST BURNED TO THE GROUND

Leinster Leader 24/ 2/1923 p. 2

Fire at Kildare Railway Station
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There was a rumour current early on Monday that the entire railway station premises at Kildare had been burned to the ground. Inquiry, however, showed that through the efforts of the Curragh Fire Brigade the fire was confined to the booking office, and the residential portion of the premises. At about 9.30 the Civic Guard at Kildare were informed that portion of the premises was on fire and on proceeding there they found the ticket office ablaze. The Curragh Fire Brigade arrive in a very short time and working up to 11.30 managed to confine the fire to the ticket office. The Station Master with his family, lives immediately over the booking office. The stationmaster was very fortunate in escaping. They lost, it is stated, a considerable quantity of furniture and personal belongings in the fire. Having left before midnight the Fire Brigade were again called to the railway station at 6.30 on Tuesday morning as the fire had again broken out. Some office furniture, stationery, etc., were lost in the fire. The Brigade continued until 8.45 in the morning when the fire was completely subdued. It is not known how the fire originated.